Joga (Mansa): In order to keep a check on cruelty on cows, the existing Punjab Gau Sewa Board will soon be elevated to the status of a full fledged commission and given the power to punish culprits indulging in such activities, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal said on Tuesday.

Talking to reporters here after visiting the premises of a factory where an incident of cow slaughter was reported a few days ago, he said that the Commission would look into cases of cruelty on the animals and would also help in rehabilitating stray cows.

While condemning the incident, Badal said that he had asked the Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure that the culprits involved in the crime were nabbed in time.

The state has enacted a law for protection of the animals and those flouting it can be punished with imprisonment for ten years, he said.

The carcasses of 25 cows were found near a factory on Barnala-Mansa road in Joga village on June 9, triggering protests by locals and imposition of curfew in the area to restore normalcy. (Agencies)